Condemned: Criminal Origins (xbox 360)

Condemned: Criminal Origins is not part of a franchise, or drippings from the chapped teat of a cash cow. It's an honest effort, and a risk that deserves your money. From the slew of 360 release titles that I've played so far, this would be in my top 3, if for no other reason than its freshness and gameplay.

You begin the game as a top level FBI agent investigating a grisly murder scene. As the game progresses, you will be using your investigative skills to solve something far more sinister.

I never ever felt at ease playing this game. The atmosphere, the sound, the brutality of the enemy, and the grit and mood of the setting never allowed me to get comfortable. I wouldn't for example, say the same thing with Doom 3, where I would rush into nearly any situation with my chainsaw revved and a grin on my face. Condemned, in contrast, keeps you vulnerable. There are no chainsaws, ammo lockers, and bfg's. There are large pipes, small pipes, 2x4s with nails, and 2x4s with bolts (to name only a few). There are precious few moments with any legitimate weapon, say, a firearm, but you'll soon have to resort to using the butt end of it when your meager ammo is dumped without consequence into some of the tougher enemies. At that point, you might prefer the ever-present locker door, to add the yellow clank of death. Or you may be a wooden beam man/woman. The environment provides an assortment of ready made bludgeons for your enjoyment and exploration. You are allowed one such weapon at a time. Using the butt of a firearm was never as effective as grabbing the nearest conduit, and the firearms would eventually break. That never seemed to matter when I played.

That's not all, however. You also get a CSI style toolkit with which to collect evidence. The tools are so incredibly slick, I would have liked to see them more effectively implemented into the story through its completion. There is a bit of handholding with the tools, and a freeform approach might have been better, albeit difficult to implement I'm sure.

Graphics:
Animations are superb, and they are probably what graphically make this game. The bizarre maneuverings of the various grotesque semi-human abominations pay considerable homage to works of John Carpenter.

The textures do much to support the dilapidated environments. I found myself wanting a little intermission from the terribly weathered, beaten ruins I was exploring. There was no such mercy from this game. No well-lit garden respites. No disco halls or mini-games. Pure gloom.

The framerate is simply high all of the time. No noticeable slowdowns.

Sound:
From the ambient sounds to the heavy breathing and horrific growls preceding an attack, sounds are perfect. Fantastic original score (mostly brief passages of mood music). Sounds of my own stumbling around were causing me on several occasions to check my shorts. Play this with surround sound if at all possible. Combat sounds are convincing as well, from the scissor slash sound of the paper cutter blade (yeah... you read right) to the bonk of the nailed 2x4 as it connects with some afflicted crackhead, the sounds are there, wicked and sickening as they should be.

Story:
It begins as a deep, gradual, and satisfying investigation, and ends sort of oddly and abruptly. Play this game, and I would be glad to discuss with you the exact moment the game had to be pushed to gold for an early release date. I would say that the story is ok, but the collecting of evidence (which was brilliant) didn't really mesh with the final moments of the game, which seemed sort of typical. I get a little skeptical when an extended movie sort of ties up all of the loose ends. Well, at least they were tied.


Gameplay:
It's an unusual and challenging melee style fps combat system with little use of a HUD and reticules. The controls are responsive and easy to pick up. The environments are heavily interactive. The timing and physics of the combat is incredibly convincing, and with the grunts, and speed of various attacks, I became immediately aware of the weight of my attacks and those of my opponents. I had zero camera or perspective issues. If I lost a fight, it was my own damned fault.

Pros:
the sum of all the parts creates one scary whole
ever-present rage and violent psychosis
Unusual bludgeoning-always a plus
combat that is without flaw with some interesting unpredictable tactics from the AI
beautiful evidence collection and tool use (some downright sublime moments)
the sounds alone made me consider wearing something more absorbent.
EA had nothing to do with its development.


Cons:
An oddball ending (it's debatable I suppose)
Not for kids (only really a con if they are watching/playing)
could use a wee bit more variety in the environments. I'm surprised that any living being would visit such places before getting whacked by what lurks there. Seems like a well-placed case of large scale arson would cleanse the neighborhood quicker than my traipsing through it with my wooden plank held high.

Conclusion:
The game is unapologetically brutal, and I recommend it for folks who would like a good scare. Consistent gestalt and finish of graphics, sound, and action. The visage of evil was nailed. Literally. I have no desire to play through levels to unlock additional concept art (even though it is worth a look). It's a one time through thing—all too short for a great experience. Buy it. Play it. Sell it.